Automatic fire-extinguisher.



'A. R. APGAH.

AUTOMATIC HRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-25.1916.

Patented Feb. 13, 191?.

INVENTOR ig 3a] I I I dwai wnNEssE If Be it known that I, ALBERT AUTOMATIC rmn-nxrmonrsnnn Zb aZZ whom it may concern: I

R. APGAR, 'a" citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automa'ti c Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

f "This invention relates to fire extinguish o ers, and has particular reference to an exitinguisherwhich is adapted to operate auto- }inatically. Y 2 The invention consists in the provision of fa suitable container containing the v extin- .guishing fluid, and it is the principal object of the' invention to provide means to cause 'the fluid to be distributed in a number of directions when the extinguisher is operated.

" "flAnother object of the invention is to pro- *yideme'ans to force the extinguishing fluid from the container under pressure, soas to cause the fluid tobe thrown or distributed jfconsiderable distance from" the extinguisher.

f A further object of the invention is to on and to v permit of the distribution of contents...

view, the invention consists in the novel featuresof construction, combination and ar- 'if dfe mpanying"drawings and claimed. v

,"angement of parts as will be hereinafter ore fully described, illustrated in the ac- In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an extinguisher constructed in accordance with the inventio'n; i

' Fig. 2 is a bottom plan; and

,1 ig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1.

' Before proceeding with a det iiiled description of the construction and operation '1o'f'the improved extinguisher it is desired to'ha 've it understood that the same may be jffBeferring' to the drawings 'by'nuirierals',

"wherein is illustrated the preferred embodilnent of my invention, 1 designates a cylindric'al casingwliichlis closed at its bottom d -Qpea'at vit i 'e'p-i; Th -nca im y b "ttaaruaea orany suitable materialt into any desired size, the samebeing closed at Application filed Mar 25, 1916; Serial No. 74,213

provide novel heat operatingmeans for re- 'taining the container inan inoperative poi the false bottom 7.

l Vith, the foregoing and other objects in upon a suitable ceiling or any other desired [part of .a room. I Ajc'ollar 17 is i tea the. nla ment. fiie d a ra e between this collar'and 'the cap '4 is an cit-- ALBERT R. APGAR, OF COIZI'U MBIA, PENNSYLVANIA. v

Patented Feb. 13, 191?.

its upper end by means of a cap Q'having a threaded connection therewith. .This cap is provided with a centrally arranged reduced cylindrical extension 3 which opens into the interior of the casing 1, the upper end thereof being closed by a cap 4 which has a threaded connection therewith. 9

Openings 5 are provided in the bottom wall of the casing to receive guide members 6 extending from the'lower face of a false bottom 7, the said guide members serving to prevent tilting or lateral movement of the false bottom within the container as will be understood.

A shank 8 is formed centrally upon the lower face of the false bottom and extends through an opening in the bottom wall of the casing and exteriorly of the casing. Fusible elements 9 are secured to the ex- 75 teriorly extending'portion of the shank 8' i at one end and at their opposite ends are secured to thecasing. These fusible elements'serve to normally hold the falsebottom in spaced relation from the bottomof the casing. g

A container 10 for the extinguishing fluid is arranged Within the casing and rests upon This container is formed of relatively soft metal and is corrugated throughout its length for a purpose which will presently appean Suitable bands 11 of wire of other suitable material arearranged upon the outer face of the container/about; its reduced diameters forme'dby-the corrugations. The purpose of these bands will likewise presently appear.-

A follower/plate 12 is arranged in abutting relation with the upper end of the cor ru'gated container which is provided centrally thereof with a hollow semi-spheri- 'cally shaped enlargement 13, to avoid interference of the plate with the cap 14, closing the filling opening inthe upper end of the container. I v

A rod 15 has threaded engagement with the enlargement" 13 and extends through a ceiitral opening in the caplt, the said rod havingan eye 16' formed in its upper end whereby the extinguishenm'a'y b'esupported hook or the like upon the ar'ran ed'Tu on the rodlti pension spring 18 which operates to hold the follower plate 12 in engagement with the container 10 under pressure.

Mounted in the lower Wall of the casing 1 and having their pointed or sharpened extremities extending into the casing are a plurality of small tubular members 19, the outer ends of these members being extended exteriorly of the lower wall of the casing and deflected slightly for a purpose which will presently appear. The false bottom 7 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 20 arranged in alinement with the tubular members 19 so that as the false bottom moves downwardly the tubular members will be permitted to pass therethrough.

The elements 9 may be formed from a material which will fuse at any desired degree of temperature. For purposes of illustration it .will be assumed that the elements 9 will fuse at a temperature of 125 degrees.

Assuming that the extinguisher is in an operative position upon the ceiling of a room and that a fire has started within the room, the operation of the extinguisher will be as follows: 7 As soon as the heat from the fire has risen to a temperature of 125 degrees, or in other words sufficient tomelt the fusible elements 9, the false bottom will be released and will be caused to be moved downwardly against the bottom wall of the casing under the action of the expansion spring 18. Before the false bottom moves into engagement tainer is filled the contents of the same will with the bottom of the casing, however, the sharpened inner ends of the tubular members 19 will have passed through the openings 20 in the false bottom and perforated the'container 10. tents of the container through the openings in the tubular members, as will be obvious. The releasing of the contents of the container will permit the spring 18 to gradu ally expand and crush the relatively soft metal of the container so that its contents will: be sprayed through the tubular members 19, the curving or deflecting of the outer ends of the said tubular members causing the extinguishing fluid to be distributed in a number of directions about the room as will be understood.

It will be understood that when the conprevent it from being crushed by the expansible spring, and in order to prevent the sides offthecontainer from bulging when the contents are released and the same is being crushed by the spring, the bands 11 are provided which will insure of a proper collapsing of the container.

From the. foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction and while I have herein shown operation of =the improved automatic fire extinguisher will be clearly understood, and and described able member,

This will release the cona shank on said said movable member, said'tubular members being adapted to penetrate said movand means to move the container into engagementwith said tubular members.

2. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing, a false bottom arranged in said casing, a plurality of tubular members extended through said casing, bottom in'spaced relation with said casing and tubular members means to move the false bottom upon release of .its holding means, a container arranged between the moving means and the false bottom, said false bottom and container being adapted to be penetrated by said tubular members upon movement of said false bottom toward said casing, and means for guiding said false bottom. r

3. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing, a false bottom arranged in'said casing, a shank on said false bottom, means connecting'the shankwith the casing, tubular members carried by said casing and provided with sharpened extremities, a container carried by'said false bottom, lower plate in engagement-[with said container, and means engaged with said follower plate to collapse the container upon release of the means connecting the shank with the casing, said false bottom and container being penetrated by the tubularmembers prior to collapse of the container.

l. A fire extinguisher comprising a cas ing, a memberinovabl'e within said casin a container supported upon said movab e member, a tubular member carried by said casing, said tubular member being adapted to extend through an opening in the movable member, means to release the movable member, and means to move the container into engagement with the tubular member.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing, a false bottom arranged within said casing, said bottom being provided with a plurality of openings, a plurality of tubular memberscarriedby the casing, said tubular members being alined with said openings, means to hold the false bottom in spaced relation from the casing means to move the false bottom upon release of its holding means, and' a container arranged between the moving means and the false bottom.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a casing, a false bottom arranged in said casing,

false bottom extending exmeans to hold the false I teriorly of the shank with the casi lateral or tilting movement of the false bottom, tubul said tubul tremities,

sol

lapse, a follower h. said container, lower plate and e easing, means connecting the ng, means to prevent :11 members carried by the casing, ar members having sharpened eX- said tubularmembers extending exteriorly of the casing a container carried by and being deflected, said false bottom, collapsible, means to plate in engagement a rod carried by said xtending exteriorly of the casingand an expansible spring inranged between the casing and the follower plate, said spring being adapted to collapse the containertupon release of the means connectingthe shank with the casing, said container being perforated by the tubular members prior to collapse of the container.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT R. APGAR.

Witnesses:

M. E. APGAR, M. G. RICHARDSON. 

